Amy over the pond
by ynotlleb
Summary: I am a British man with a Californian wife. What if Amy's relationship with Dave had worked out? Follows on from 9.08 with Amy and Dave in the restaurant. Everything belongs to Chuck Lorre.
1. Not speaking of Sheldon

_**I am British man with a Californian wife. What if Amy's relationship with Dave had worked out?**_

_**Follows on from 9.08 with Amy and Dave in the restaurant.**_

###############

_Dave: So you've never been married?_

_Amy: No, I mean, to be completely honest, I've... I've only been in one long-term relationship._

_Dave: Oh. What happened with that?_

_Amy: That's a good question. After five years, it was just feeling like more work than it should be._

_Dave: Oh, that's too bad. Was he a neurobiologist like you?_

_Amy: No. He's a theoretical physicist at Caltech._

_Dave: I love teaching math, but that would be my dream job. What's his focus?_

_Amy: Um... used to be string theory, now it's dark matter. But... let's not discuss Sheldon. Let's get back to you._

_Dave: Wait, you're not talking about Dr. Sheldon Cooper?_

_Amy: I'm trying not to. Do you know him?_

_Dave__: No, but I've followed his work for years. He's a rock star_. However, this is probably not an appropriate conversation for a date.

Amy: Absolutely. So where in England is home?

Dave: I'm from London but I haven't been back for years.

Amy: Do you have any family back in England?

Dave: Just my brother Alfie, his wife Judith and their twin girls Rebecca and Sara. We all went to Disneyland when they came over the pond to visit last year.

Amy: I would love to see London again, I was there for 5 hours between flights when I went out to study in Norway, I went to the Science Museum before returning to the airport. How did you end up as a teacher?

Dave: I did a teacher training course between my first degree and the start of my PhD in theoretical physics at University College London. Just after I got divorced my PhD supervisor moved to UCLA so I followed him to California. UCLA didn't work out, I didn't finish my PhD so I got a job teaching high school math. The rest is history.

Amy: Do you regret not finishing the PhD?

Dave: I was wasting my time at UCLA.

###############

2 hours later. Amy kissed Dave goodnight as she drops him off at home.

Thank you for a wonderful evening Dave, see you on Saturday.


	2. Pizza encounter

_**The relationship between Amy and Dave continues.**_

###############

1 month later. Amy has a Saturday girls lunch with Penny and Bernadette.

Penny: So how are things going with your tall mysterious British man?

Bernadette: Yeah, spill the beans sister.

Amy: We are going out again tonight, back to the Italian restaurant we went to last month.

Bernadette: Come on, you know we need to know more than that.

Amy: I have had more fun in a month with Dave than in five years with Sheldon. He is the opposite of the arrogant know all that is Dr. Cooper, British reserve and humility is a refreshing change.

Bernadette: Howie and Raj helped Sheldon set a puzzle to find him a new girlfriend. A beautiful physicist answered all the questions but Sheldon turned her down as she was a minute late!

Penny: I love the whackadoodle but I don't envy anyone who tries to be Sheldon's girlfriend, I don't know how you stuck it out with him for 5 years.

Bernadette: So when do we get to meet this Dave of yours?...

###############

2 months later it was "Anything can happen Thursday", which was a Pizza Party in apartment 4A. Amy brought along a guest.

Amy: "Hello everybody, I would like you all to meet my boyfriend Dave."

Dave "Hello everybody, nice to finally see you, Amy has told me all about you."

Amy: "Dave this is Rajesh."

Raj "Pleased to meet you sir, nice to hear the Queen's English again, I studied in Cambridge between India and California."

Dave: "How do you do sir."

Amy "This is Bernadette and her husband Howard, he's an astronaut."

Dave "Fantastic, pleased to meet you."

Amy "This is Penny and her husband Leonard."

Dave "Dr. Leonard Hofstadter I presume, I saw you speak at Stanford with Dr. Sheldon Cooper."

Amy "Here he is, the great Dr. Cooper, Sheldon meet your fan Dave."

Sheldon "Welcome, have some Pizza."

Dave "Wow, Hofstadter and Cooper together, you have the coolest friends Amy."

Howard said "We haven't seen much of you recently Amy, have you been having fun with Dave."

Amy "Yes we have, we are going away again this weekend."

Dave "We are heading up the Pacific Coast Highway to Big Sur"

Bernadette "That's a beautiful part of the world."

Amy seemed really happy to be with her friends and to show off Dave, she seemed a lot more outgoing than when she was with Sheldon. However Sheldon barely said a word, he answered a few scientific questions from Dave but that was all.

Two hours later Amy and Dave left the party, both had big smiles on their faces.

Sheldon helped Penny and Leonard clean up after the party.

"What an evening, what did you think of that Moonpie?"

"I don't like him, and only Meemaw calls me Moonpie."


	3. special relationship

_**The relationship between Amy and Dave gets stronger.**_

###############

3 months later. Amy has another Saturday girls lunch with Penny and Bernadette.

Penny: "Hello Ames, good to see you again, how are things with you and your tall Englishman?"

Amy: "Well this part of the transatlantic special relationship is going great. We have just moved in together. I took him to meet my parents last weekend, I was really worried about this but he charmed the socks off my parents, my mother loves him."

Bernadette: "Wow, things are really hotting up for the two of you."

Amy: "So how are things with you two, still enjoying being married."

Penny: "Well I can't speak for Bernie but I am doing great with Leonard."

Bernadette: "Howie still makes me laugh, life is good."

Amy: "How is Sheldon, I haven't seen him for weeks."

Penny: "Old Moonpie is a bit different, he keeps more to himself these days. He gets up, goes to work at Caltech and comes home. Leonard had to almost drag him to the Comic Book store last week."

Bernadette: "Howie says he doesn't eat in the Caltech canteen very often, he just brings in food from home and eats in his office."

Amy: "I sometimes see Leonard, Howard and Rajesh in the canteen but that's why I haven't seen Sheldon."

Penny: "OK, let's hear more about you and Dave..."

###############

Over the next 3 months Amy spent less and less time with her old friends. She would occasionally see Leonard, Raj and Howard at Caltech. Amy and Dave went on double dates with Penny/Leonard and Bernadette/Howard and did the odd Saturday girls lunch. Then one Friday night the other 6 were eating Chinese food when there was a knock on the door.

Penny answered the door "well well well, it's Amy and Dave, what brings you here?"

Amy "We had to tell you all first, we are engaged!"

The room erupted in cheering as Amy's friends came over to congratulate Amy and Dave. After all the hugging, kissing and backslapping was over Penny said "where did Sheldon go?..."


	4. Busman's Holiday

_**Amy and Dave get married!**_

###############

One year after their date at the Italian restaurant Amy and Dave got married. Dave's family came over from England, Amy's family came from all over California. Dave's school teacher friends came as did his old PhD supervisor from UCLA. Amy's Caltech friends came but one guest was conspicuous by his absence. Sheldon did not come to the wedding.

When it was all over Leonard and Penny wished the newlyweds well and _bon voyage_ for their honeymoon in England. As Amy gave Penny a farewell hug she whispered in her ear "please tell Sheldon I am sorry he couldn't come."

One hour later Leonard and Penny got home from the wedding

"So how was it Penny?"

"What do you care Moonpie, you couldn't even be bothered to come to the wedding?"

"I care too much to have been there, I am not sure if I could have faced seeing my Amy getting married to that man."

By name Sheldon was close to tears

"Oh Moonpie" as Penny hugged him as he broke down completely.

"Only Meemaw calls me me Moonpie but thank you for the hug..."

###############

One week into the honeymoon Amy and Dave sent their friends an email with some pictures and video of the newlyweds seeing the sights in London. Amy said "we are having a fantastic time over the pond, I don't want to come home." Sheldon deleted the email without reading it.

The day before Amy and Dave were due to fly home Amy went to King's College, part of the University of London to see a scientific colleague. They had been graduate students together at Harvard and they had kept in professional contact. Amy had a great time as her Harvard friend showed her round the lab and introduced her to her colleagues. When she got back to her husband she said

"Thank you Dave for letting me visit with Jane, I know it is a bit of a busman's holiday to visit a University on your honeymoon but I have been emailing her off and on for years since we both graduated from Harvard. She said if I was ever in London I should look her up."

"No problem, I had one last day with the family. Back over the pond to California tomorrow."

###############

Amy and Dave flew home together the next day to start the new lives as a married couple in California. Lots of emails to answer for Dr. Fowler-Gibbs to answer when she returned to Caltech, including several from Jane and her colleagues in London. Amy had made quite an impression on her busman's holiday. The emails kept coming, Amy had an enjoyable email correspondence with King's College London. A month later Jane's boss asked if he could have a Skype chat with Amy. During this conversation he offered Amy a job!

That evening when Dave came home from work.

"Oh honey I'm home."

"Hi Dave, please sit down, I have something important I want to discuss with you."

"I am all ears dear Amy."

"How would you like to go back to England with me?"

"I would go with you to Mars."

"Do you remember when I visited with Jane at King's College London? Since we came home I have been in email correspondence with Jane and some of her colleagues. I spoke to Jane's boss today and he has offered me a job. So my dear husband how would you like to go back to England with me?..."


	5. Farewell Professor

_**Farewells before departure**_

###############

Dave had no problems with following his wife back home to England. In the time it took for Amy to get her visa for working in the United Kingdom sorted out Dave had got himself a job. He was going to work at a school in London where he had done teacher training before his PhD.

Six months after Amy and Dave flew to London for their honeymoon they were ready to fly to London again for a much longer stay. The night before they went to apartment 4A to say goodbye.

They knocked on the door of 4A

Penny: "Well it's Amy and Dave, are all you all packed up."

Amy: "All packed."

Leonard: "Come on in, would you like some tea?"

Dave: "We had some at Howard and Bernadette's house, we got to say goodbye to them and Rajesh."

Penny: "How is Bernadette doing?"

Amy: "Morning sickness, I am going to miss you all, I will not be here when the baby comes in six months."

Leonard: "Still, this is a wonderful opportunity for you Amy. We are going to miss you both but I am excited for what this is going to do for your career Professor Fowler-Gibbs."

Amy: "Thank you Leonard, I am sure you will get your Professorship soon. Where is Sheldon, we have to say goodbye to him?"

Penny: "He now lives across the hall in 4B, come on I will take the two of you over there."

Knock, knock, knock "Sheldon", knock, knock, knock "Sheldon", knock, knock, knock "Sheldon".

Sheldon opened the door "Moonpie, you have visitors" then Penny grabbed his hand to stop him running away.

Amy: "Sheldon, you know we are leaving for England tomorrow. We have come to say goodbye."

Sheldon stood there speechless for about 30 seconds before he finally spoke.

"Goodbye to you Amy, I wish you well in your future career. As for you sir, I hope that you realise how incredibly lucky you are to be with this lady. Don't you even think about hurting her. Only Meemaw calls me Moonpie." Sheldon then released himself from Penny's grip and ran off to his bedroom.

###############

24 hours later

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen, welcome to London Heathrow where the local time is 8.05am. Thank you for flying British Airways."


	6. Visiting scholar

_**10 years later**_

###############

By the time Amy and Dave had left to live in England Sheldon was a very different person to the one who had broken up with Amy 18 months earlier. He was still a brilliant physicist but it was if he had been deflated. All the arrogance and pomposity had gone, he was just a quiet introverted scientist who preferred his own company but he kept his friendship with the other 5.

The only females he had any social interaction with were Penny (who he treated as a big sister) and Bernadette (who he treated as a little sister). He was there at the hospital with his friends to see Bernadette when baby Halley was born. Sheldon would join his female friends in their Saturday girls lunches when the men went to the Comic Book store.

One year after the birth of Halley Raj found a new girlfriend, a medical doctor called Anju. She was soon accepted into the social group, Sheldon eventually accepted her as another pseudo-sister who would sometimes join the girls lunches.

At Anju's urging Raj and Howard offered to help Sheldon find a new girlfriend, this drew Sheldon into a fit of unexpected rage!

"Don't you two dare pull that stunt again, you can hide all of Penny's dirty socks and underwear in my apartment and I will still not go through with your scheme. I had a girlfriend and she broke my heart, I am not doing that again."

After that his friends left him alone as a single person. Sheldon carried on his quiet life as a physicist.

###############

Then one day at Caltech, 10 years after the departure of Amy and Dave, Sheldon was called in for a meeting with the head of department.

Sheldon: "Hello Leonard, how can I help you?"

Leonard: "Hi Sheldon, this is Dr. Alexandra Jones, she is an experimental physicist from Cambridge University in England and she has been visiting us at Caltech for the last six months."

Sheldon: "Yes I remember you Dr. Jones, you gave an interesting seminar a couple of months ago."

Jones: "I have had a good time here at Caltech and I have been very grateful for the kind hospitality that you have all showed me. We would like to return the compliment by inviting a Caltech physicist to spend a sabbatical year with us in the Cambridge University Physics department. Professor Hofstadter thinks that you would be a good person to invite."

Leonard: "So what do you think of that Sheldon?"

Sheldon: "That is a very generous offer, a chance to work where Newton and Hawking worked. If I were to go when would this start?"

Jones: "I am going back to Cambridge in September so it would be around then."

Sheldon: "Please tell your colleagues that I would be honoured to visit them in Cambridge."

###############

Six months later Sheldon arrived in Cambridge. He was a visiting scholar at Wolfson College for his sabbatical year, he stayed in college accommodation. At the start of the new academic year he went to a welcoming reception for all the visiting scholars.

Dr. Jones introduced Sheldon to some of the fellows of the college at the reception.

"Here is someone from your part of the world Dr. Cooper, meet Professor Amy Farrah Fowler..."


	7. In the library

_**An unexpected reunion in Cambridge!**_

###############

Six months later Sheldon arrived in Cambridge. He was a visiting scholar at Wolfson College for his sabbatical year, he stayed in college accommodation. At the start of the new academic year he went to a welcoming reception for all the visiting scholars.

Dr. Jones introduced Sheldon to some of the fellows of the college at the reception.

"Here is someone from your part of the world Dr. Cooper, meet Professor Amy Farrah Fowler..."

Sheldon and Amy just stared at each other in shock!

"Do you two know each other?"

Eventually Amy spoke "Yes Dr. Jones, we know each other, we both worked at Caltech."

"Small world, I will leave you to catch up" and Dr. Jones walked away.

"Is that really you Amy or am I dreaming, I have dreamt about you every night for the last 12 years."

Amy touched his face with her hand "It's really me Sheldon, what are you doing here?"

"I might ask you the same Amy?"

"Shall we find somewhere a bit quieter to sit and talk?"

5 minutes later in the college library

"Why are you here Sheldon?"

"Dr. Jones was a visiting scientist at Caltech for the last academic year and to return the compliment Cambridge wanted to invite a Caltech scientist to visit for this academic year. They chose me, I am here until the end of next summer. We last heard from you just after Halley was born, what happened to you?"

"I moved to London with Dave to start work at King's College at the University of London just over 10 years ago. We moved into Dave's old family home and lived with his brother and his family. For the first six months everything was fine, London was a wonderful place to live and I really enjoyed working at King's. Then just after Halley was born Dave's ex-wife came back from France and they soon carried on where they left off before the French chef turned up. Three months later I was sleeping in my office most of the time, three months after that we were divorced. London ceased to be a wonderful place, it became a big dirty cold and damp city."

"So what brought you to Cambridge?"

"Fortunately the grant that was paying for my work was in collaboration with Cambridge and they were able to transfer me to this wonderful university town. We still collaborate with King's, I go there once a month for a meeting."

"So what happened to your husband?"

"Last I heard he is still teaching and is remarried to his ex-wife, they have 2 children."

"Dr. Jones introduced you as Professor Fowler."

"Yes, I quickly dropped the Gibbs, if I ever get married again any future husband will not get his name attached to mine. So how are things back at Caltech, how are our old friends?"

"Well Leonard is now Professor Hofstadter and is head of department, it is thanks to him I am visiting Cambridge. Leonard and Penny had a son called Thomas 8 years ago. Howard and Bernadette have two children now, Michael was born a year after his sister. Raj finally got married 7 years ago to Anju, a medical doctor. All the men still work at Caltech, Penny and Bernadette still work for Zangen."

"How about you Sheldon, did you ever get married?"

"There has been no-one since I broke up with you Amy."

"After breaking up with Dave I haven't really had any serious relationships, in retrospect I rushed into getting married to Dave far too quickly."

"If I hadn't been such a bad boyfriend to you we would never have got into this mess."

"Now fate has brought us together again. Let's go back to the beginning, I can be your friend who is a girl and let's take it from here. Where are you living as a visiting scholar at Cambridge?"

"I have a visitors apartment here at the college."

"I live two miles away down the Cam in Grantchester, a very pretty little village. I think we had better get back to the reception, they will be worrying about what happened to us."

"May I buy you a beverage?"

"Tepid water please..."


End file.
